What the British & Irish Lions Can Teach Us About Employee Engagement

With the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour in Australia in full swing, rugby fans across the globe have been glued to their TV screens. This quadrennial event is a showcase of not only raw talent and athleticism, but also professionalism, and the leadership needed to bring diverse individuals together around a common goal. As joyful as I find watching these brutes smash into each other every weekend, what’s really caught my attention is the unification of these usual enemies, their passion for pulling on the red jersey, and the hidden leadership in every player.

At Inpulse, we help organisations build stronger engagement by unlocking the same elements that make teams like the Lions perform at their best. So, it got me thinking, what can businesses learn from the Lions about team performance, engagement, and leadership?

1. Sense of togetherness

The Lions squad is made up of players who are usually fierce rivals (England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales) all with different national cultures, styles of play, and coaching methods. And yet, within just a few weeks, Andy Farrell has got them working like a well-oiled machine (most of the time). That kind of unification doesn’t just happen by luck, it takes leadership, trust, and a shared purpose. It’s no different in the workplace. At Inpulse, we often work with organisations made up of different business units and operating companies spread across multiple regions, and yet they’re expected to function as one. That only works when there’s visibility of how people are really feeling, where the barriers are, and what they need to work better together. That’s where engagement data becomes invaluable. It helps you pinpoint areas that need more attention, where even the smallest change can reap the highest rewards. 

At Inpulse we’ve seen that organisations where their Engagement Index score falls below 80%, just 71% of people say they feel part of a supportive community. But in higher performing teams with Engagement Index scores of 80% or more, that number rises to 84%. That’s a difference of 13 percentage points! It’s the difference between teams that just co-exist and ones that truly have each other’s backs. So, ask yourself: how supportive and collaborative are your teams?

2. Clear purpose

Farrell hasn’t exactly been shy about his ambition for this tour. From day one, he’s made it clear, this squad isn’t there just to compete. They’re there to win and win well at that, with a 3–0 sweep of the Aussies. That clarity of purpose is powerful. Everyone knows the goal, everyone knows what success looks like, and everyone’s bought in. That kind of purpose is something we talk about with our clients all the time. When teams lack a clear direction, when they don’t see how their work connects to the overall company goal, motivation drops. 

Inpulse data shows that employees in highly engaged teams are 16% points more likely to say their leadership provides clear direction, with 73% of those in top-performing teams agreeing, compared to just 57% in lower-engaged ones. This goes to show that low engagement almost always links back to a lack of clarity or weak alignment with organisational strategy. People want to be part of something that matters. They want to know why it’s worth the effort. 

3. A culture of celebration

Of course, not every Lions player will start in the test series. Some are there for the midweek games, to fill gaps, build match fitness, keep the whole machine ticking over. But don’t be fooled into thinking they’re any less important. Their attitude, effort, and support often make the difference behind the scenes. It reminds me of the unsung heroes we see in businesses every day. The ops teams, finance, IT, HR (whoever you may be), you’re the ones who keep the show on the road but don’t always get the headlines.

Take Saracen’s and England’s Ben Earl as a brilliant example. He goes crazy at all of the small wins. A turnover at the ruck, a dominant scrum, a teammate’s effort – you can hear his roar from the furthest reaches of the stadium. That kind of behaviour builds momentum. And in business, it's the same. Celebrate the small stuff. A tough client email handled well, a project milestone hit, someone stepping up in a team meeting. It all counts.

Our data shows just how powerful this is. Companies who have a positive score of 80% or more for the question 'If I do great work, I know that it will be recognised', the average Engagement Index score is 85%. When that recognition drops, so does engagement, down to just 73%. That’s a stark difference, and it’s no coincidence. When people feel appreciated, they show up with more energy, more loyalty, and more belief in the team around them. And when people feel seen and recognised, they will want to continue giving their all. This isn’t about significant financial rewards (although of course that helps!), it is consistent, small everyday behaviours – a simple thank you or a shout out in the team meeting.

4. Trust as a foundation

One of the biggest challenges the Lions face is time, and the lack of it. They’ve got just a few weeks to build trust with people they’ve never played with before. There’s no pre-season warm-ups, no pizza Fridays, no after-work drinks to bond over who’s worst at Flight Club. But still, they pull it off. Because they create a culture of openness, respect, and high standards. 

In our work with clients, we often see how environments with low trust struggle with engagement. We’re all human, so without trust people naturally hold back, don’t speak up, and don’t collaborate with their teams. We have seen this in our data - where employees feel trusted by their managers, they’re far more likely to want to stick around. Among those who say they can see themselves working for the company in 12 months’ time, 93% also feel trusted to get on with their job by their manager. Where retention drops, so does trust - down to 88%. Not a massive gap, but a telling one. Because when people feel trusted, they invest back. They stay longer, contribute more, and feel part of something. 

5. Build pride

Every Lions player talks about the pride of wearing the jersey. They know they’re part of something bigger than themselves. It’s not just about this tour - it’s about legacy. That’s the kind of pride that fuels individuals, teams, and organisations to thrive. We see it clearly in the data: when people feel proud to work where they do, they’re more committed, happier, enthusiastic about their work, and more likely to go above and beyond. Culture and leadership play a huge role in this, and the organisations that invest in it see the positive outcomes. There is a clear trend in the Inpulse data showing that higher pride is linked to stronger advocacy. Surveys where 20% or more of respondents selected 'Proud' as one of their emotions have an average score of 77% for the question 'I would recommend my company as a great place to work', compared to just 68% among those with lower levels of pride. 

One of the things I love most about this squad is that leadership doesn’t just sit with the captain. Sure, Itoje wears the armband (and wears it well), but you see leadership everywhere. From the experienced heads like Russell and Beirne, to the younger players, like Pollock, showing maturity beyond their years. Every single player knows their role matters. And it’s the same in business. You don’t need a fancy title to make an impact. Some of the best leaders I’ve seen are the ones who lead by example, support their peers, and stay calm under pressure. When every individual feels that ownership, that’s when teams really start to click.

Whether you’re leading a team, running a project, or just trying to get people tracking in the same direction, the Lions have a few things to teach us. Elite performance doesn’t come from chance. It comes from togetherness, clarity, recognition, trust, and a shared sense of purpose.

So, it’s time to ask yourself, how are you building a culture that performs like the Lions?

I’ll be following up with another blog in the coming weeks on how to start putting some of this into practice in your business. (Assuming the Lions do put on a performance and get that test series win… come on you Lions!)